Consultant Psychiatrist CAMHS

Job overview

• The mental health Looked After Children/ Edge of Care Team (LAC/EOC) is a multi-disciplinary team, providing a comprehensive consultation, assessment and treatment service for Greenwich/ any CLA’s residing in the borough of Greenwich, child protection plans and children in need whether placed in borough or outside. The Tri-borough CAMH Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Team has a three boroughs catchment area of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich. Referrals to the team are from CAMHS colleagues within the borough teams, and all patients retain a care co-ordinator in their referring team throughout treatment. The DBT team is based for team meeting and most clinical appointments in Highpoint House, Shooter’s Hill.  The skills group takes place in Stepping Stones unit, Bromley. The DBT treatment model is based on four pillars: individual therapy, phone coaching, skills group and team consultation.  The model is strictly adhered to, to ensure the strongest possible evidence base for young people with traits of or a diagnosis of personality disorder, amongst other drivers for recurrent suicidality. The DBT holds young people for 8 months with the possibility of extension to 12 months.

Main duties of the job

• Provision of psychiatric care through evaluation, diagnosis, and use of appropriate treatment plans/strategies for children presenting with mental health difficulties.
• High quality note keeping and adherence to clinical standards on our electronic patient record, RiO.
• Contributing to decisions regarding care plans, discharges, and treatment of patients in accordance with medical standards.
• Consultation to the team around psychiatric issues.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure delivery of the right treatment for each young person referred in keeping with evidence-based practice.
• Alongside the clinical leads and team manager ensuring patient throughput within the team
• To manage, appraise and give professional supervision to junior medical staff as agreed     between consultant colleagues and the medical director and in accordance with the Trust’s personnel policies and procedures.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will work with all the disciplines in the LAC/EOC and DBT teams to provide assessment, consultation, advice and support. The post holder will work with all internal and external agencies within the child’s network to ensure the best possible clinical outcomes for LAC/EOC and DBT children and young people.

The post holder will be responsible for patients referred to and accepted by the specialist LAC/EOC and DBT teams. For LAC/EOC, referrals received are from GPs, Paediatricians, Social Care, Education, self-referral and the voluntary sector. It is expected that the consultant appointed will carry medical oversight and be the Responsible Clinician for approximately 20-25 young people, almost all of whom will be care co-ordinated by other members of the team. The post holder will also consult widely to other members of the team, and to external agencies. The post holder will work with consultant colleagues to provide psychiatry on-call cover 9-5 for GCAMHS.

For DBT, referrals are received internally from tri-borough Oxleas CAMHS teams. All have a care co-ordinator and individual therapist within the DBT team.  The post holder will be responsible for medical oversight for approximately 10-15 young people, and will be offered DBT therapy training to ensure that care given complements the DBT model of delivery.